Wade About

It has now been a couple weeks since I graduated as a DiveMaster here on Gili Air, Lombok, Indonesia.

I was able to spend a week in Bali last week at Mum & Dad’s house using all of their WIFI and hot water - things that are sorely lacking on Gili Air.

Now I am back on the Island, my days have been filled with helping out in the shop as well as tagging along as qualified DM to assist Instructors with students who require assistance as well as taking photos and videos to share with you!

I will be posting a series of blog posts in the coming weeks about Island Life and things that people should be aware of when traveling / living long term on Gili Air, Indonesia.

On Saturday I found out I am "graduating" on Tuesday night - the customary "snorkel test" - the drinking of a swamp brew of grog through a snorkel with blacked out mask. A light hazing of sorts to welcome you to the professional side of diving.

With the clock now firmly set I needed to get a move on to get all my tasks completed.

On the Friday before the surprise graduation, the following tasks were completed:

Another hurdle for me to climb over was again the dreaded mask skills components of the "skills circuit". This is - to demonstration quality - show the 24 skills of the "open water" course. Minimum rating is 3/5 for each skill with at least 1 to a 5/5. Below is my score sheet. A pass.

The planning for a deep dive including the rigging and use of a static decent line - something we don't often use in the Gilis due to incredible 25m+ visibility. Additionally, the task called for the rigging and deployment of a "deco breathing set" or separate air and regulator deployed for use at the 5m safety stop. This was all completed easily.

The next task that required considerable surmounting of my fear of taking my mask off under water was the equipment exchange... this requires the full exchange of all scuba equipment with another person minus your wetsuit and weights. As we did it mid water I required three attempts to overcome the current to retain the position. Oh did I mention throughout this whole time you and the person you are exchanging with are sharing a single breathing regulator? Another pass

The last task requiring completion was in my mind the easiest. In fact, it is the one I had the most trouble with - search and recovery. The search for a missing item around 10kgs of weight and lifted using a lift bag. Also required are the underwater demonstration of three knots, the bowline, 2 half hitches and the reef knot.

I also finally submitted my dive site map, this was reviewed in the early stages by our resident navigation and map "nerd to ensure that it was accurate and able to be used as a briefing tool for students and visiting divers.

And finally, I submitted an extension for my visa to remain in Indonesia on a month by month basis. An interesting experience dealing with the regional outpost of the Indonesian Immigration

Wow time is flying fast now I can’t believe it is now 5 weeks since I started the DMT.

Local Dive Master Soni with one of our local turtles on Hans Reef

I have ticked over 100 dives - and no the 100th dive was not naked as is usual convention because I was with clients.

This week I have had a number of firsts - seems to be happening a lot:

First UV night dive - Half the dive is using normal white light and then we switch to a blue light that simulates UV light which coupled with a yellow mask filter creates awesome reactions from coral - only a tiny proportion of fish react with UV light so they mostly appear black.

This week also saw me brief and guide 2 customers on a local fun dive. We went in search of sleeping white tip reef sharks on a site that they are regularly seen - Sunset Reef. Sadly they were not spotted, however we saw a school of 5 line snapper torpedoing as well as a hawksbill turtle munching on the coral. When I told the customers after the dive that it was my first - they said they were very impressed.

I am really starting to enjoy my assisting role while assisting Discover Scuba Diving programs. I seem to have developed a knack with divers that are struggling to equalise and risk ending their dive. I manage to calm them, and show them - underwater - techniques to relax and equalise their ears.

Ramadan has come to an end so shops are returning to their normal opening hours and dive masters who were not diving during ramadan are returning so I am looking forward to learning from more of the local DMs

As now been in Indonesia for almost 6 weeks including staying my parents prior to commencing DMT I am now at a point I need to extend my visa so that process starts soon too.

While week 3 was centred around guiding and learning about fish this week was full on courses - starting with the hardest and most challenging - PADI Rescue diver

Assisting on a PADI Rescue Diver course this week really challenged my rescue skills, drills over 4 days included

Unconscious Diver at the surface - Getting the process and timing down to deliver rescue breaths and remove all kit - this included 2 hours in the pool getting timing and positions right before going into the ocean to repeat and towing the ‘patient’ for over 100m in the ocean to the beach and right up to the point of commencing CPR. While I was assisting on this course with a customer, this drill is also an assessable task under the Dive Master program, so I completed it along side the customer 5/5

Additionally my DMT Task of a Tired diver tow - timed over 100m was also undertaken on this course: 3/5 - I was slow in the current

Assessing a conscious diver on the surface who is panicking and how to retrieve them using objects such as ropes, buoys and poles that keep you in the boat, then doing the same using techniques while you are in the water

I assisted as the rescue diver trainee’s buddy during a search for a missing diver scenario, once locating the missing diver (in this care it was a surface marker buoy hidden on the bottom, I switched to being the unconscious missing diver and had to be brought to the surface slowly and safely.

DIVE FROM HELL - This was a test of the rescue diver’s ability to diagnose problems and keep things going smoothly underwater. our instructor at various points during the dive had his fins off, used as mitts, BCD off and riding, tank band loose and weights out, mask upside down all needed fixing by the rescue diver trainee. I was laughing so much while observing my mask leaked.

This week I also ticked off a couple more of the tasks required to complete my DMT:

Emergency Plan for a dive site - in my case I put together a comprehensive document that details location of emergency oxygen acrsss the islands, decompression chambers and their capacity along with ‘how-tos” for a number of common issues such as bites and stings, burns, missing divers etc. This is being evaluated and a score will be issued

Mapping a nominated dive site. I am 90% finished on my mapping and I passed my map around for evaluation by the other instructors for feedback. Apart from one section not being correctly oriented to the rest of the site owing to the face I have only visited that part twice. That will be updated and resubmitted.

Prior to commencing the rescue course I spent a few days assisting one of the local dive masters with some fund dives with a family that was visiting. It is so much fun showing people new sites and new animals they don’t get to see often.

To recap week 2 my physical learning pack arrives, I made a start on a few of my assignments - site mapping and emergency procedures, as well as some pool time working on my demonstration skills for underwater teaching.

This week I have been able to assist our two in house instructors on their courses. In particular my role is starting to form on Discover Scuba Diving (DSD) programs. A DSD is not an actual course more a program that give a first time diver enough skills in the pool to be taken out under guidance onto a 12m deep reef and, as the name suggests, discover scuba diving. Many go on to undertake the PADI Open Water qualification - the first of many steps on the diving ladder. My role is the provision of an overwatch / safety role to assist the instructor in keeping the group safe while exploring the site

Also during week 3 I undertook 3 of my assessment tasks:

Timed 800m Snorkel swim (no hands used, head not leaving the water) in the picture below that equates to 8 laps with a slight current one way: 3/5

15 minute tread / float in water too deep to stand, with hands out of the water in the last 2 minutes 5/5

Perform the role of dive master on our dive boat during a fun dive - provide the boat briefing, outlining the safety and comfort features, introduce the crew and dive professional staff as well as monitor the air and time both prior and post for each diver. 5/5

Also this week I was able to accompany qualified divers on ‘fun dives’ with some of our local guides to see often overlooked areas of local sites. It is from these local guides I can learn to hone the craft of fish and marine life spotting, group management and guiding around under water sites including the wreck of the tugboat Nusa Glenn seen in the pictures here (my new fav site)

I took this picture showing the joy after almost an hour underwater on a discover scuba

Bit of a recap of week one - house sorted, transport sorted, dive site orientations, shop orientation and the discovery of my inability to take my mask off underwater.

During week 2, I started settling into the rhythm of Gili Air and diving operations.

After my attempt in week 1 of the first of a number of timed activities being a timed 400m ocean swim (week 1 attempt resulted in DID NOT COMPLETE due to current). I re-attempted in week 2 and received a mark sufficient to gain a pass.

Clocking up almost 15 dives since day one, tagging along on "fun dives" with qualified divers and guides as well as observing a variety of courses from Discover Scuba (base program) through to Advanced Adventure Dives including Deep Adventure dives to 30m.

Also this week I dug deeper in the "PADI Encyclopedia of Recreational Diving" - key text for any diver looking to gain a deeper understanding of many aspects of diving and the diving environment.

This week also saw the first of a series of pool sessions with instructors to work on my underwater demonstration skills.

Me floating in the pool observing skills

My day off during week two was spent in the large regional city of Mataram on Lombok getting a bit of a look at regional Lombok life and shopping.

I have not been online much this week - as you will see I have been too busy!

I arrived after a boat delay, late on Monday afternoon. After making my way to the dive center by horse cart I met the staff and crew.

Later that night I viewed a number of available homestay type rooms. Bedroom with bathroom and outdoor shared kitchen.

I have also purchased a bicycle - the main form of transport on the island. For the cost of 6 weeks rental I purchased one - a massive investment of $70AUD.

Oh. And I think my bed has bed bugs. So next task is destroying them- all

This week I have also done 10+ dives, following dive groups, observed regulator servicing, learnt how to use the refrigerated (air dryer) compressor to fill tanks and been working on my underwater marker deployment (DSMB).

It has been months in the planning, with daily countdowns starting well into the 80s.

With my dive gear is packed, my drone and filmmaking gear and clothes tapped out my 20kg baggage allowance to jamming all my stuff in my bag has been a challenge in itself.

Just to remind you about the purpose of this trip - After 10 years with my employer, i am now eligible for 3 months paid leave, with the option of taking that at 1/2 pay. I am using my allowance in one whack and heading to the Island of Gili Air, Indonesia to "study" for my PADI DiveMaster qualification. This can be done in as short at 6-12 weeks. Obviously I am in no rush to get the qualification, so will work with my instructor. There is a possibility of also moving on to do my Instructor qualification.

For those that don't know, Gili Air is a tiny island off the coast of Bali, Indonesia. The island is so small there is no motorised land transport, instead of get around on foot, bicycle or small horse drawn carts.

Every activation has been under clear skies, the sun on my back (or frying my neck).

Well, Mt Livingston turned that on its head. Checking weather reports all week - windy but only 10% chance of rain.

And when did my activation come? you guessed it during that 10% window.

I had planned a LONG last activation hopping around the bands - sadly, all in all, I managed 10 min before and 10 min after UTC before succumbing to numbness of the logging fingers and worrying about water in the radio that was already nestled in the pack. Summit temp was below zero with windchill.

Although I said to John @ZL1BYZ and Jacky - no video, I made one on the hill and a few QSOs later.

Thanks for all the fun guys and girls. I will be back around Nov/Dec 2017. Until then I will be scuba diving in the Gili Islands of Indonesia undertaking my Dive Master program. Oh and I might have a new callsign by then - will also need to buy that web address too...

Summit number 15 for 2017 was HARD. Not because it is long but it is a bush bash. Zero formed trail. I couldn't take my eyes off the GPS track for more than a minute and I would be well off track.

Temps have dropped in Canberra as they normally do after ANZAC Day on 25 April. I left home at about 0800 in 5C. The walk to the summit was in 7-10, not a breath of wind. a crisp clear day!

Driving about 90 mins south from my home location in North Canberra, entering Namadgi National Park which occuipes the entire south of the Capital Territory.

The summit is in the very south east of the park even off the tar road and about a 30-45 min bush bash. Not only any I watching the GPS track, I am making sure I don't fall into Wombat holes - and there are a few of them.

The actual summit is a small rock Cairn, I added two to the pile.

After setting up I ended up working about 23 stations, including ZL2ATH, a DX summit t0 summit. My first. a real buzz

Due to the location (no phone service) as well as the restrictions of my VK Foundation License (No APRS / DATA modes), Andrew@VK1AD provided radio overwatch via our local 2M repeater, which even on the valley slope I couldn't hit until getting higher. He did all my spotting too. I have said it before - everyone should get themselves an Andrew!

On the way back I stopped off at Hospital Hill Look out which gives an excellent look at the more challenging summits within the park.

As you can see there is a fair bit of interferance possible from the tower site, I have been advised that 2M is practically a no go.However even with the quiet morning activation I managed to snag enough to activate a 'day' eariler than I had planned!

Thanks to @VK1AD for the suggestion of 2 summits close by each other that allows a fast double activation.As you can see from the log, the calls came thick and fast.

Odd trig point hidden amoung the bushes

Dual summit log

This was also my first activation with my partner. He wasn't too keen on the sitting around while I was having the fun.

I think I counted 5 or more S2S, in fact IL-005 was activated in short order with just S2S!

Thanks to Compton for trying both FM which I was just monitoring and 40m later too!

Fluffy carpet of soft moss

Did anyone follow on APRS? VK1FWBD-5. It if it useful for chasers to know my timing I am happy to run it again.

EDIT: received a number of comments from other operators - NO I did not transmit on RF. I was using the phone network. Entirely within the rules. Checked multiple sources and multiple times. This was at the request of much more experienced and knowledgeable operators.

Does this look like a rooster to you??

Taking my summits to 13 since Mid Feb '17 when I was activated. I am out again tomorrow near UTC to keep an eye on sotawatch.

After the initial tortuously steep climb out of the suburbs, bursting into the morning sunshine before entering the Rob Roy Nature Park was a very pleasant surprise - i suspect the sleeping locals (above) were not impressed with my intrusion.

Rob Roy was the 3rd of the 3 summits I had challenged myself to complete by the end of the Easter long weekend. Each increasingly more challenging in height and approach as the last.

The actual summit is off the track however the entry to the foot trodden bush track is marked by a mini carn (below) .

Mt Rob Roy's trig point is unusual, I have not seen one like this before. 3 metal support arms with a wooden upright indication. Which makes for a good squid pole support!!

As the log shows before I had a really good day on the radio, scoring some more ZL stations (NZ for non radio folks)

SOTA, Amateur Radio and how it is helping me fight depression and anxiety

I mentioned in one of my more recent SOTA videos that I was going to write about how SOTA was helping me fight depression and anxiety. I understand that some might consider it a long bow or even not get it entirely.

Before I get into the how or why it is helping, lets get some definitions at least as they relate to my brands of anxiety and depression.

Anxiety

In basic terms, Anxiety is the miss-timed or miss-activation of the fight of flight response. Faced with a bear? Flight or flight is normal, having an heart racing, mind running at a million miles an hour and feeling out of breath, having that repeating thought that some one is out to ‘get’ you in the middle of the supermarket? Thats my anxiety. Supermarket, car, work, laying in bed, it springs up on me .

Depression

You know that thing you love? Being outdoors? Being with friends? Fishing? Building things? Exercising? You know that feeling you get even thinking or planning to do that? Yeah for me depressions is the colour sucked out of life, I simply do not get the same buzz from things that I know I love and enjoy. Some people see that as ‘Wade is just being lazy’ - I can tell you I WANT to do things, but my brain is all like “why bother”.

OK so those out of the way. Think mental health is just a ‘mental’ thing? Yeah tell that to the 10kgs that joined me this year since diagnosis because the normal active things I like have no ‘colour’ to them.

So back to SOTA and Amateur Radio

I recently obtained my Australian Amateur Radio License (Feb 2017) and since completing it, I discovered this section of the hobby that combines elements I really enjoy. Being outdoors, learning new skills and tinkering with different set ups. And it is making the depression and anxiety disappear - at least for the day I am outdoors!

What is SOTA?

There are designated mountain / hill summits world wide, in the ACT there are currently 48. They are assigned a rating based on height and difficulty, with some earning a bonus 3 points in winter due to possible snow.The aim of SOTA is to make 4 contacts (voice or morse code) from the summit to consider it ‘activated”.A station / operator on the summit is the activator, the home station is called a chaser. Summit to summits contacts between 2 ‘activators’ are a real bonus with points shared.

Every weekend (apart 1) since I have been licensed I have been out activating a summit. This involves selecting a summit, planning or researching a route, packing gear, planning the activation, recording video and photos to share with you.

How is it helping? Well many MH professionals suggest being outdoors and doing physical activities along with having goals that are achievable - guess what ticks all those boxes?? SOTA it is. Also side note have lost between 3-4kgs lighter!

I keep saying it, another weekend and another summit!

The VK summer is definitely coming to an end, the weather is Canberra has started its usual turn for the worse in April. That being said yesterday it was a rather glorious day on the summit of Mt Taylor, VK1/AC-037 one of the tallest summits located within the ACT residential area at 850m ASL.

Taking Andrew (VK1AD)'s advice I stayed clear of the trig point as it gets VERY busy with walkers of all descriptions. This gave me a chance to test out not only my new 7m squid pole which was much lighter than my 10m one but, also my DIY free standing guying system. Up until now, I had always had the trig or another structure to strap the squidpole to.

Activation:

Another HUGE (by my standard) day with the summit qualified on HF 40m in under 5 mins!

Longest distance was over 950km just north of Brisbane (VK4).

I had not looked much into the WWFF or Parks program however the last 2 summits were also in parks. My (limited) understanding is 44 contacts are needed to activate the park over a UTC year, I managed to activate both parks in 1 sitting each!4 2S2

Working VK1DI, Ian on 2 summits in one day!

DIY guying system:

I had been looking for a super lightweight guying system. I had seen some operators using 3D printed collars etc, but as I was building it on a Friday prior to a Saturday activation (I am a bad planner) to a trip to the local hardware was in order.

I managed to put together a system using a plumbing collar and 3 stainless steel wire key ring loops. How did it work? PERFECTLY. It sits about 3m up so gives a good stability point.